Pirates attack cruise ship

Even by the standards of Saudi Sheiks and Russian oligarchs, the next superyacht to hit the waters is pretty breathtaking. Known as Project Valkyrie, the yacht -details of which were released last week - will be the most extravagant private vessel ever to take to the seas. Like the other of the world's ultra-luxury yachts, it looks set to become the plaything of one of the world's richest people. Here we look at some of the others which, while they will soon be falling into the shadow of the Valkyrie, nevertheless offer more luxury that most of us could ever dream of. Project Valkyrie Although still in its planning stage, should it come to life Valkyrie will be by far the most extravagant private vessel ever to take to the seas. The yacht is the brainchild of design companies Chulhun Design and Palmer Johnson, who have worked on super yachts although never one this grand. The yacht will measure 744ft (227m) in length, which is more than two-thirds the length of the world's longest … [Read more...] about Artificial beaches to T-Rex skeletons

January The burglar who broke into a care home and sexually assaulted a woman in her 90s A man who sexually assaulted a woman in her 90s after breaking into a care home was jailed. Police said ‘shameless’ Jake Morris, 24, had ‘no place in society’ after he was caged for the shocking attack on the pensioner, who has dementia. He denied sexually assaulting her at the Leigh facility when interviewed by officers. During the court case Morris changed his plea and finally admitted his sickening crime. Morris, of no fixed abode, also pleaded guilty to burglary and assault and was jailed for six years and four months. The ‘dangerous predator’ who posed as taxi driver to rape woman on her way home from night out A ‘dangerous predator’ who posed as a taxi driver to rape a woman on her way home from a night out was jailed. Marius Dolhascanu targeted his 30-year-old victim in Wigan in 2016. After the terrifying ordeal Dolhascanu, of Hey Street, … [Read more...] about 668 people locked up in Greater Manchester in 2018

January The burglar who broke into a care home and sexually assaulted a woman in her 90s A man who sexually assaulted a woman in her 90s after breaking into a care home was jailed. Police said ‘shameless’ Jake Morris, 24, had ‘no place in society’ after he was caged for the shocking attack on the pensioner, who has dementia. He denied sexually assaulting her at the Leigh facility when interviewed by officers. During the court case Morris changed his plea and finally admitted his sickening crime. Morris, of no fixed abode, also pleaded guilty to burglary and assault and was jailed for six years and four months. The ‘dangerous predator’ who posed as taxi driver to rape woman on her way home from night out A ‘dangerous predator’ who posed as a taxi driver to rape a woman on her way home from a night out was jailed. Marius Dolhascanu targeted his 30-year-old victim in Wigan in 2016. After the terrifying ordeal Dolhascanu, of Hey Street, … [Read more...] about 668 people who were put behind bars in Greater Manchester in 2018

A NEW gender-neutral Army training regime sees press-ups and sit-ups dropped for a more "achievable" fitness test. The new assessments, will be rolled out next year because the enemy "doesn't care about gender or age". For 20 years, fitness assessments were focused on aerobic fitness, demanding stamina, muscular endurance and strength. Under the new system soldiers will have to do a 4km march carrying 40kg of equipment in less than 40 minutes, followed by a 2km march carrying 25kg of equipment in under 15 minutes. Soldiers will then have to complete a fire and move exercise in less than five minutes, followed by a 20m drag of a 110kg weight. Field Army Sergeant Major Gavin Paton said: "I don't care if you are a man or a woman, I don't care what you do, and the enemy doesn't either.” The new tests, devised over a period of three years in conjunction with the University of Chichester, aim to more closely replicate combat scenarios by mimicking real-life military tasks. Speaking at … [Read more...] about New gender-neutral Army training sees press-ups and sit-ups dropped in favour of new ‘achievable’ fitness test

When triple Emmy-winning animation guru Genndy Tartakovsky put together the final touches for 2015's "Hotel Transylvania 2" he decided he'd had enough of his old pal Count Dracula. The razor-fanged quincentenarian -- that's Drac, not Tartakovsky -- has sucked a bloodcurdling $800 million out of global audiences but the sequel, undertaken during a massive North Korean cyber attack on Sony, was grueling work. "We're finishing it. And all the executives are getting fired, and all this ugliness is coming out, and we still have to make a funny, entertaining movie," the 48-year-old filmmaker told AFP. Burned out, Tartakovsy announced very publicly that he had no intention of committing to a third movie -- and learned an important Hollywood lesson: never say never again. Having rejected the offer to direct a script he didn't like, the animator decided during a family cruise off northwestern Mexico that transplanting Drac onto an ocean liner could open up comedy doors. "Some people love … [Read more...] about Animation icon Genndy Tartakovksy draws blood for Drac’s return